BEM UI Challenges 2024 Presidential Candidates to “Clash Ideas”

Jakarta, Indonesia - This month, the President of the University of Indonesia’s Student Executive Body, Melki Sedek Huang, launched an open challenge to all three potential candidates in the 2024 Indonesian elections for an open discussion.

“If they do have the bravery, BEM UI (University of Indonesia’s Student Executive Body) invites all candidates/potential candidates to be present at the University of Indonesia because we are ready to ‘skin’ all of your ideas.” Said Mr. Huang to journalists from Kompas.com.

Potential Presidential Candidate Anies Baswedan took to Twitter to reply to the challenge, quote-tweeting an article about the challenge to ask when the challenge would take place.

“Yuk, kapan? (Let’s go, when?)” Tweeted Mr. Baswedan (21/08/23), accepting the challenge.

Potential Presidential Candidate and Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto also showed a level willingness to participate.

“Mr. Prabowo is ready to engage in dialogue with anyone anywhere, especially on campus. He’s very happy to discuss issues with the intellectuals.” Said Mr. Subianto’s spokesperson, Dahnil Azhar Simanjuntak as reported on by detik.com.

Ganjar Pranowo’s camp has also responded, with the Head of the Central Leadership Council of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Said Abdullah, saying Mr. Pranowo would be very receptive to a campus discussion.

“Mr. Ganjar is used to going in and out of campus. Mr. Ganjar would be very welcome.” Said Mr. Abdullah in a statement.

Ever since the statement, BEM UI has sent a formal proposal for the event to the three potential candidates, posting the proposal to the public through their Instagram account, setting the date for the event at the 24th of September 2023. As of the 26th of August 2023, no formal response to this letter from any of the three potential candidates has been published.

This proposal comes after the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia came to a verdict released as Verdict Number 65/PUU-XXI/2023, allowing political candidates to campaign in educational institutions with the specification that the campaign has to have the blessing of the educational institution at hand and does not involve any attributes of political parties.

It is important to note, however, that the official start of the campaign season is the 28th of November 2023, and the event held by BEM UI is set to be taking place more than two months before that date.

To this, a member of the Indonesian General Election Supervisory Agency, Mr. Puadi, stated that there is no problem at all, as the event coming would technically not yet be counted as part of a campaign season’s presidential debate.

“Technically there is no problem if universities invite the people who have been raised up as potential presidential candidates to engage in a clash of ideas about all things Indonesia.” Said Puadi (24/08/23), reported on by Kumparan.com.

“This activity cannot be understood as a campaign, because we have not reached the campaign season, and besides no candidates have been officially registered.” Continued Puadi, affirming that the activity would not be part of the official campaign process.

Despite this, it is clear that if this event does happen, it would be a pretty important date for the teams of all the potential presidential candidates, being the first ever time Indonesians will see them engage in a clash of ideas.

Image source: Megapolitan - Kompas.com